Nifty, Sensex in freefall today as Iran mounts attack on Israel. Here's what experts think you should do

Tensions in Middle-East are rapidly inching closer to their zenith, with Iran firing about 200 ballistic missiles at Israel late yesterday night. In response today, the Indian markets witnessed their worst decline in two months, with Sensex dipping around 1,769 points, or 2.1% to close at 82,497.10. Nifty followed suit and was also down by 2.1% to close the day at 25,250.10. As a result, about Rs 11 lakh crore were wiped off the market today.

The decline was broad-based, with sectors like realty (dipped by over 4%) auto, and energy suffering the most. Broader indices also fell, losing nearly 2% each.

The Hang Seng index, which had rallied over 14% during the last week, largely on the back of various stimulus measures announced by the central bank to stir consumption in the Chinese economy, also slumped around 1.47%.
With the possibility of an all-out war between Iran and Israel looming on the horizon, threatening to happen sooner than later, markets are expected to remain volatile in near future. Even the India VIX, seen as a gauge of uncertainty and investor fear in the market, jumped over 9% during the day.

The war could throw a huge spanner on India's crude oil import plans. As of August 2024, about 44.6% of India's crude oil imports came from Middle East. Israel has already promised significant retaliation, in response to Iran's attack in the days to come. And the strong possibility of a full-blown Israeli attack in Middle East, particularly major oil fields in Iran has sent the crude oil prices surging. Closer home, ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) was amongst the biggest gainers on NSE today.

Should Indian investors worry?

But is the impending action in Middle-East the only reason behind today's drastic fall? Vishnu Kant Upadhyay, AVP, Research & Advisory at Master Capital Services notes that while it plays a significant role, other factors are also at play.

"Recent regulatory changes in the F&O segment by SEBI is expected to impact trading volumes, as retail participation may decline due to the increased contract size and limits on weekly expiries. Meanwhile, strength in the Chinese market, following the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) stimulus package, has also diverted foreign investment to China, where valuations remain more attractive compared to India", he noted.

But Upadhyay believes that the extension of losses in Indian markets wont last long. "From a technical perspective, as long as prices hold above the 25,250–25,100 zone, any decline could present an opportunity to build fresh long positions. A stock-specific approach is advisable, with sectors such as Oil, IT, PSU Banks, Metals, and Chemicals likely to outperform in the coming days", he adds.

Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research, Kotak Securities observes that as long as market is trading below 25,365/82,800, the weak sentiment is likely to continue. On the down side, it could slip till 25,150-25,025/82,200-82,000 as well. On the other side, one quick technical pullback is likely if the market succeeds to trade above 25,365/82,800. Above the same, it could bounce back till 25,475-25,500/83,100-83,300. The current market texture is volatile hence; level based trading would be the ideal strategy for the day traders.

Mutual fund investors, stay put

In the aftermath of a market correction, most mutual fund investors often face a critical decision- should they stop their SIPs (Systematic Investment Plans) or to view the downturn as a valuable opportunity to acquire more mutual fund units? By continuing SIPs during such downturns, investors can take advantage of 'rupee-cost averaging,' i.e. accumulating more units when prices are down. This approach not only lowers the average cost per unit, but also positions the portfolio for greater returns when the market eventually recovers, and softens the impact of short-term volatility.

Swapnil Aggarwal, Director, VSRK Capital explains that alongside maintaining regular investments, revisiting your asset allocation is also essential in these turbulent times. A well-diversified portfolio, that balances equities with safer assets like bonds can withstand market fluctuations more effectively. You can consider shifting some investments into bond funds or other stable instruments, which can provide a cushion against further declines.

What happens next?

While the immediate impact of a market correction may lead to declines in the NAV (Net Asset Value) of mutual funds, disciplined investors can view this as a moment to reassess their strategies. Focusing on your long-term financial goals will let you turn market volatility into opportunity!

The market will remain keenly focused on the evolving situation in the Middle East. What will also be equally important are the US monthly jobs data due tomorrow, which could determine the size of Fed's next interest rate move in November.